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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tall tower and building arrangements where used for structural and electronic support of antenna. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved antenna tower and support apparatus that features an improved configuration of multiple equipment rooms, multiple sets of antenna cable, and multiple sets of antennae at different elevations on a tower.
2. General Background of the Invention
Very tall towers are typically used to support one or more antennae at desired elevational positions. One of the most common usages of such a tower is in the cellular telephone industry. Other examples of such antenna supporting towers include radio, pagers, television, and two-way radio.
One of the means of defraying the expense of constructing such a tall antenna supporting tower is to provide multiple users with multiple electronic support/equipment rooms. This provision of multiple rooms and multiple sets of antenna associated with a single tower can present security problems. It is to this problem that the present invention is directed.
Numerous patents have issued that are directed to very tall towers which support either a single antenna or multiple antennae. Examples of such patents are contained in the following table:
The present invention provides an improved antenna tower and support apparatus that include both structural support for the antenna and its tower as well as telecommunications support via equipment and cabling.
The apparatus includes a foundation which can include piling, if necessary. A building is mounted on the foundation including a plurality of vertically spaced apart building sections (for example, two or three). The building itself includes a bottom that is next to the foundation and a top that is next to the tower.
A tower is supported upon the top of the building. This support can be in the form of legs of the tower that rest upon the tops of columns provided at intervals around the periphery of the building.
A plurality of antennae are attached to the tower at multiple elevational positions.
Each building section has a security area that is separate from the security area of other building sections.
A plurality of antenna portals are provided, at least one being provided on each building section and preferably communicating with a security area of a building section.
A plurality of antenna cables are provided that extend between the building and the various antennae. Each cable extends preferably from an antenna to a security area of a building via an antenna portal. Each security area has at least one antenna cable that extends to it and each security area has telecommunication equipment that is connected to one of the antenna cables.
The tower can be a self-supporting tower, a guyed tower, or a monopole. The tower can be a guyed tower that is guyed to the top of the building or to the surrounding terrain using appropriate anchors that are embedded in the earth.
At least one of the building sections has multiple antenna cable that enter its security area via an antenna portal.
The multiple antenna can include at least one microwave antenna, one whip antenna and/or one panel antenna. In some installations, the multiple antennae include different types of antennae placed at different elevational positions such as, for example, one microwave antenna and at least one panel antenna placed at different elevational positions.
The apparatus further comprises a single ground ring that is grounded below the earth""s surface next to the building. The ground ring is preferably in the form of a ring that extends circumferentially around the foundation of the building, embedded in the earth.
The present invention thus provides an improved building, tower and antenna arrangement that does not require ice bridges, transformer foundations, or electrical backboard foundations.
The system of the present invention reduces uplift forces at ground level, thus reducing or eliminating the need for deep foundations.
The system of the present invention reduces the required length of tower because of the use of multiple building sections to elevate the lower end portion of the tower.
The system of the present invention reduces construction time and costs for future carriers/users.
The system of the present invention reduces land requirements, fencing, stone or gravel requirements and shortens fall radius of the tower.